Work Issue

Right. So people were off work this week and I had to check their email accounts. Today I was looking for a mail one colleague had sent to a client, and (not by opening it, but because he's got the preview pane on) saw one sent to another colleague s1agging me off.

So being stupid, obsessive compulsive and just plain nosy, I looked at some more between the two. Lots of emails, some saying stuff about other people but a lot saying nasty things about me. One of the two had even sent an email to the other telling them to 'Delete this and all other emails about Nykie', but hadn't deleted it himself. Nor had either of them deleted their deleted items, so there they were sat (at this point, I'd seen enough horrible stuff that it couldn't be worse).

Now, I know I shouldn't have looked, it's bad and eavesdroppers (or email-lookers) never hear good, and I so wish I hadnt, but it's done.

So how to act in January? The obvious option would be to find another job, but my worry would be making as much money anywhere else as I make here, and I do enjoy what I do, and (previously) all the people I work with.

I can't confront them on it, as it would seem that I'd been snooping (which after the first email, I had), but I really can't imagine being able to act normally in front of them from now on. I've been cold and shaking all afternoon, and when I got in my car, I totally cried my eyes out, so whether I'll be able to keep myself together, I'm not sure.

What would you people do?

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Comments

  • something pervy, remember they dont know  you are aware so take your time and then strike,  enjoy  image
  • It depends on loads of factors:

    • how detrimental is their opinion?
    • how much do I care?
    • was the slagging professional (questioning competence) or private?
    • how much do I care about the job?
    • how I get on with my boss (is it possible to raise it in supervision)?
    • am I assertive enough to simply raise it with the perpetrators and let them know they're busted and next time they want to say something they can say it to my face?
    • do I have friends in the team if I raised this, i.e. would I have back up

    ... those are all things I'd consider...

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭
    how detrimental is their opinion? Two of the emails I saw were: 'Baggsy I the seat furthest away from Nykie' (when we were all going out for a Christmas meal) and 'If I have to share a room with her I'll die' (when we've got our company Christmas/Awards do in Jan) how much do I care? At work I cared massively, but now it's just a niggle, whilst I'm at home was the slagging professional (questioning competence) or private? Personal, just about me how much do I care about the job? I really really enjoy it, more than any I've done. how I get on with my boss (is it possible to raise it in supervision)? I'm not sure whether I could, considering I've looked through their emails. am I assertive enough to simply raise it with the perpetrators and let them know they're busted and next time they want to say something they can say it to my face? I could be, but it would make the atmosphere pants for everyone in the office, which wouldn't be nice for the others there do I have friends in the team if I raised this, i.e. would I have back up? Possibly, but it would again make the atmosphere rubbish.

    My opinion now I've had time to think about is just to get on with my job, do really well, and thrash both their ar$es in business next year. Or alternatively, get hammered at the Christmas do and end up with murder on the dancefloor image

  • Sorry This is taffia.

    If in the 1st instance if you have the right and permission to access the emails and the accessed acount had the 1st email on it and you viewed it in part of a business process,

    Print only that one out and approch HR about it.

    Plan B, tw*t em one.

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭

    I think I like the sound of Plan B best I think. Bad, bad me...

    Oooh, just noticed I'm a pirate. Yay me!

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the advice BTW. I already sent the emails to my personal account this afternoon, so I'm ready for the first option if I want to take that route.
  • Hmm  I would strongly recommend you don't confront them about this.

    If you do you may find things get worse.

    Unless they have breached some sort of policy how can you look good by raising this?

    You may well find you have several very angry, outraged people on your hands and you may open a can of worms.

    IMHO people who send e-mails like that are probably t*ssers anyway - they are sailing very close to the wind by sending personal e-mails. 

    I would simply stop trying any pretence of talking to them or communicating on anything other than a professional level.

    And when their backs are turned crack em with a four iron.

  • The other option is you print out the e-mails and leave them on their desks "anonymously" that should give them food for thought....
  • dont let them upset you nykie youve obviously got something their jelous of..so just be your self . imagine how you could upset them if you really triedimage no i dont know you but your above sinking to that level, just enjoy your xmas young lady and if you still feel bad in the new year ... old uncle santanog will come over and shoot them for you, hows that kidimage
  • Like your colleagues, I can't think of anything good to say about someone who would wilfully snoop through other people's e-mails. If anyone asked me to justify something they'd come across in this way, I would tell them that I wasn't going to explain, discuss or apologise for any of it. And I would certainly inform someone up the line that you'd read my e-mails without my consent.

    I think you should put aside what you've read, put your head down and do your job well, and do nothing that might  spoil the atmosphere in the office. And resolve to keep your nose out of what doesn't concern you in future.

  • This is Nam again...  TT was just helping homself to the lap top...  image

    mmmm.... it's difficult...  if the "dissing" was purely personal but only saying stuff like person A saying to person B they don't want to share a room with you, I'm not sure that's grounds enough to take it to HR as a bullying case??

    How do the culprits behave normally?  Did you have an incling these two people were talking behind your back or has this come as a complete surprise to you??  What do you think is behind these dynamics??  Have you ever clashed on anything??  Are you a new member of the team?

  • V-rap I think that's a little bit harsh?  I understood she had permission to check their emails because the staff in question weren't there and came across the info in question because of the way the view pane was set?  So just to say don't stick your nose in what doesn't concern you is a bit hard when people are bitching behind your back.  I stand corrected if she didn't have permission.
  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭

    For reasons I've put above, confronting them wouldn't be an option. It's a really good team and it would just make things too tense. I will just enjoy Christmas as Nog suggests and just speak to them on a professional level as JB suggests.

    'Raptor, when I saw the first email, the damage had already been done. I wouldn't ever have opened it, but I saw the text in the preview pane. I just wish they had deleted them fully in the first place. I had their consent, they both (as did everyone else who was off) gave me their passwords, and I needed to be dealing with clients and clients' emails, past and current. That was also in the remit. Yes, I know I should not have gone further, but how many people can honestly say they wouldn't read at least some of someone's diary if it was open and they saw their name?

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭

    mmmm.... it's difficult...  if the "dissing" was purely personal but only saying stuff like person A saying to person B they don't want to share a room with you, I'm not sure that's grounds enough to take it to HR as a bullying case??

    How do the culprits behave normally?  Did you have an incling these two people were talking behind your back or has this come as a complete surprise to you??  What do you think is behind these dynamics??  Have you ever clashed on anything??  Are you a new member of the team?

    Nam - No, it was more than that, it was saying other stuff too, things I don't really want to make public on here, personal issues. Sometimes being nasty about things I've said. I wouldn't go to HR, I would use it as justification for leaving.

    Usually, they're fine. Or I thought they were. Where I work uses the old cliche business stuff, so the whole office has been 'storming' as we've got a new member of the team, but I personally have never clashed with those two in particular. I'm not new, no, I've been at our office longer than either of them.

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭
    Thanks image Same to you Nam image
  • Harsh? Oh, yes, TT, I'll hold up my hand to being uncompromising on this issue.

    The last time someone read my personal e-mails looking for stuff about himself, I divorced him image

    And individual work colleagues surely have a right to decide for themselves whether or not they like you, and if there was no evidence of animosity from these colleagues apart from what was in the e-mails then there are surely no "bullying" issues.

    And no, I wouldn't read some of someone else's diary unless they invited me to.

  • I think that's fair comment Vrap - hence my thought that this could really go ballistic if it is not handled well.

    In Nykie's place I'm sure i would have read on too, though.

    Not sure what the policy is on reading folks e-mails, but saying the e-mails are tantamount to bullying may not cut much ice if company policy has been breached by reading them in the first place. 

    I would let sleeping dogs lie and not give them the time of day, personally but it would give me a sleepless night or two for sure.

    Nykie - stick it in the box marked "Knobs" and put it in the attic. 

  • It's not an enviable situation to be in.  Of course people are at liberty to dislike whomever they see fit, but it's not nice knowing people are being unkind behind your back.  You say they are nice to your face, so I guess all you can do is, be nice in return and think your piece.  Also think twice about telling them anything personal in future as they're obviously having a field day with it.  You say the team overall is cracking and you love the job, so try to put it behind you and don't let it spoil your career.  Merry Christmas x
  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭

    I've not said it's bullying anyway.

    Sleeping dogs sounds like the best option, and today I've already used words I never use. I shocked myself. Putting my head down (especially below the parapet) is no doubt the thing to do. Move on and move up.

  • I do feel sympathy for you but I think you made a mistake going looking for this stuff and the best thing you can do now is learn the lesson not to do it again.  

     If it's any consolation I bet most of us with work colleagues aren't universally popular among all of them - that doesn't mean they might not respect us or even admire us - being liked by everyone isn't the be all and end all is it.    On the diary question - no no way would I read it - I don't even read my 9 year old daughter's diary.

  • I agree with Vrap about not reading other mails but confess that if I stumbled across a mail with my name in it I probably would glance/read....not sure I'd look further though.

    I think you have to consider whether you have ever expressed a private comment to someone else about a mutual friend/colleague?   It happens and I don't think is either uncommon or abnormal.  They have been careless in their privacy which I would say is their only fault. I accept many people will hold views about me which are not complementary.........I don't wish to go looking for them though!

    It would have hurt and upset me but I think I would treat it in two ways

    1) Have they got any points which could be considered constructive criticism? If so act

    2) Does their opinion really matter? If no, ignore. If so ....accept and reconsider point 1)

  • Good call, Nykie image

    I think you were brave to ask the question here at all!

    Merry Christmas! 

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭

    I wanted unbiased opinions, which I've certainly got. I know I should have left it with the one line that I initally saw and if I could change looking for them I would. But hey, as has been said, they're entitled to their opinions, as is everyone. It's a reminder to double-delete any emails you wouldn't want other people to see.

    And thanks, 'Raptor, Merry Christmas to you too image

  • I've worked in a couple of places where people have been disciplined for sending bitchy emails: however, I think it's a question of whether pursuing something along those lines would make them even more nasty. With the email policies most companies have in place, using email for bitching or other questionable activities is a complete no-no, and the contents of the email you read also raise questions about harrassment. Organisations often have something in their policy to allow them to monitor email.

    Fact of life (1): we all send emails that we shouldn't really in work time. Fact of life (2): email/internet abuse is one of the main reasons for people getting booted out of their jobs. However, the reality is that in the big scheme of things, taking any kind of action in these kind of circumstances can just make things worse.

    If you want more information on where you stand, check this page  ACAS e-mail policies, and it might be worth looking at your organisation's handbook too. Then what you do with the info is up to you. Personally, unless I thought my position was threatened in some way, I'd pretend nothing had happened. Knowledge is power. You never know when it might come in useful...

  • BTW, if anyone posting on here thinks their work email is private, I'd check out the ACAS link - there is some protection, but you might not be as safe as you think.
  • My e-mail at work actively informs me that it is not private

    I hope the people in IT have enjoyed my personal mails image

  • NykieNykie ✭✭✭
    Good points Riach. Knowledge is power. I'm liking it.
  • Nykie- you are a marathon runner- they sound like a couple of lard arsed slappers/knobheads to me! I would have read the emails, I read all my last bosses emails about me and it gave me the advantage over her that I knew what rubbish she was circulating.  I used to pointedly do whatever she said I wasn't and vice versa.   Run them into the ground!

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